Apparatus for making flame coloring sticks



' May 25, 1943. J. P. B. FISKE 2,319,778

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FLAME COLORING STICKS Filed Oct. 22, 1941:fdizafiaaraZZBLZilske Patented May 25, 1943 2 .APPARA'IUSiFOR MAKINGFEAliIE COLOR- LING STICKS Jonathan P; B. Fiske,. Newton; Mass.

:OriginaLapplication ..0ct0ber 29, 1940, 'SerialfNo. 3.63346. Divided?and this applicationEOctober 2 2,-;1-941, Serial No. 416,061

,6 Elairns.

fromrsuch material-andcomprising-a flame color- 1 ing agent'incorporated in a carrier, while solid-at room temperature, are readilyconvertefdw-hen placed in a fire into a liquid which spreads over.anclpenetratesthe logs-or other fuel. Theagent, epreferably-oneor -morechem-icalsalts, e. g, the chloridegnitrateor sulphateof s trontium,- orbar- .ium, ortherchloride ersulphate ofcopper; is'thus ldistributed over:the fuel, leeing caught by the v cracks .an;d crannies thereof, so thatthe coloring =efiectproduced by-the agentin the-flames'lasts for alongtime and produces amide-spread effect. JIfhe carrier may heealgy oneof;that classcf sub- =-.,stances -which are solid atroom temperature 1and melt. into 2. a .li quidupon .thegapplioation of heat.

.I have-found paraffinewaxgives superior results I as acarrier,Palthoughfithersubstances suchas g-stearicacid or beeswax may:be usedif desired.

.Heretofore ithas been proposed Itomix the fflamecoloringagent with; themolten' carrier and v.thento pour the mixtureinto molds. -S uch-= mix-1' ing of agent :and; carrier priorto pouring involves so manydiificultiesjncluding excessive time and -'eXcessiveexpense, that r ithas been foun31,;-af;ter

repeated trials, to be i not comm-erci-ally; practical to manufacture.flame coloring -;mater;ials-;where .isuch pre-mixing.iseinyolved.aMoreover, thisprocedure ah-as not been satisfactory -for Wile-reason:that the flame coloringragent settles to the bot- .tom. of themoltencarrier. It is not feasible'to stir .the {mixture constantly whilepouring and 1 even if itrweretheysticks in diflerent molds would not beuniform. Furthermore, it is notifeasiole .to heat-the carrier-onlyto thepointzWhere the v:flame coloring agent 1"Zi11 not settle rapidlybecause.then the mix does not pour well.

:The primary object of this invention resiid es in the manufacture ofmolded flame coloring articles :consisting. of a carrier -and'a flamecoloring agent .without .the necessityof mixing the ingredients ;priorto molding.

.Another object of the invention' resides. inthe .structure "andconstruction of :such apparatus in .Whichthematerialis for-med intothedesired shapes. .Specifically ,said apparatus comprises ;a die.block,havi ng-.molding cavities thereinopen r -at-;bo,th;endsganda bed ofnon-adhesivematerial -;posed xbetween thebasel bloekwand the: sheet andmeans5for-so clamping the die block :upon :the bed that thebottomsurface .of -.the "die 'block is depressed into the layer :andthemolding cavities in; the, die block lare sealedat; one end bythesheet of 1 non adhesive; material in :combination :withL-a charger unitincluding a box ha'ving pockets open at:thebottom and a slidable platehaving .-:slots therein which register with the gpockets in one positionof the plate, said unit restingupon the die block ;with thepockets-therein in: register with the cavities in the die block.

jThGSe as -w,ell ,as;v other; objects of the invention "will appearfroma consideration :of the following description and of the drawing:which forms a part;thereof,and in which =F1j g .-1 is a;plan view ofthe mold in'whichthe material'is for-med;

Fig. -2 is a cross-sectional view of the mold taken along the lines :2-2in :Fi 1;

is'a side elevation of--the-mold;

i ,4 is across-sectional view of the die block of the mold taken alongthe line 4--4 inFig. ,1;

Fig.5 5 is -a-.similar view; ofthe mold with which -.is assembled acharger unit for supplying the .agent to-the mold;

Fig. 6 is-a.-sectional-view:of theimold with the agent in the cavitiesthereof;

Fig; '7 is-a-viewsimilar to Fig. G-With theagent .andcarrierin-thecavities thereof;

:Fig. dillustratesthedie .blocke-with an ejector :unit and the blocks;of .-material after ejection from the mold -and 9 is a perspective viewof ;a finished-stick.

Thestick l llof flame, coloring material consists of a carrier l l and:a flame coloring-agent l2. The carrier 1 l is preferably of paraflinwax and the agent l2 is preferably copper chloride in the .form ofparticles incorporated :With the carrier and eonfinedlargely to onesideoftheestick (the upperside: in='-F1f g. 9). The process by'which thestick l,0-is made according to this invention is .as follows: 'A-predetermined amount. of the copper f-chloride in the form of separateparticles is cplacedina mold. Theparaflin waxconverted by heat into. afreely. flowingliquid iscpoureclv into the mold on top of the particles-until the mold is completely or substantially filled. While -the liquidcarrier readily fills the interstices between the particles of flamecoloring agent the particles remain localized in the bottom of the moldbecause of their higher specific gravity. Since heated paraffin wax hasa tendency to set quickly when no longer subjected to heat, theparticles of agent are trapped and held in the cooling mass.

The apparatus for carrying out this process illustrated in the drawingincludes a mold comprising a die block 2| and a bed 22. The die block 2|includes a plurality of cavities 23, three being here shown, in whichthe sticks of material are formed, such cavities being open at both endsand bound by inwardly inclined walls. The bed 22 comprises a base block24, a layer 25 of sponge rubber, flannel, plush, or similar depressiblematerial, and a sheet 26 of non-adhesive paper, e. g.,'

glassine.

The die block 2| is suitably clamped upon the bed 22 by the coaction ofhooks 21 carried by the base block 24 and pins 28 projecting outwardlyfrom the die block. When assembled the sheet 26 closes the cavities 23at the bottom. The hooks 21 and pin 28 are so located that when the dieblock 2| is assembled with the bed plate 22, the bottom surface of thedie block is depressed somewhat into the upper surfaces of the yieldablemass of the layer 25 so that the bottoms of the cavities are tightlysealed by the sheet 26 to prevent any escape of liquid therefrom duringthe formation of the sticks.

A charger unit 30 is employed in the feeding of the copper chloridecrystals to the cavities 23 of the mold. That unit 30 comprises a box 3|having a plurality of pockets 32 in the base thereof and a slidableplate 33 held in close contact with the under face of the box byshouldered set screws 34 carried by the box and extending through slots35 in the plate 33. The unit 30 is positioned on the block 2| by the"reception of the dowel-pin heads of the screws '34 in apertures intongues 36 projecting from the sides of the block 2|. The pockets 32 inthe box are open at the bottom and when the unit is positioned on theblock, register with the cavities 23 therein. The plate 33 in oneposition closes the pockets 32 (see Fig. 5). Slots 3'! are provided inthe plate which when the plate is shifted register with the pockets 32and cavi 'sufficiently for conversion into a liquid, is poured into thecavities on top of the crystals. After the carrier has set in thecavities 23 the die block 2| is separated from the bed 22 and supportedin an inverted position over a removable pallet 40. 'Suitable'means arethen employed to drive the sticks I0 out of the cavities 23, such as anejector unit 4| which comprises a base 42, bars 43 secured thereto andpins 44. The bars 43 are so dimensioned and positioned that they willregister with and enter freely the open bottom ends of the cavities whenthe unit is positioned relative to the die block 2| by the entry of thepins 44 into the apertures 45 in the tongues 36. Sufficient pressure isexerted to depress the unit 4| and drive the sticks ||l out of thecavities onto .the pallet 49.

Inasmuch as some of the flame coloring crystals are exposed at thesurface of the sticks they tend to absorb moisture in damp weather.Crystals being intensely hydroscopic, absorb sufficient moisture fromthe air to cover, here and there, the surface of the sticks with awatery solutioin, and. in the case of copper chloride, with green drops,which are very objectionable as they not only stain the paper box inwhich the sticks are packaged, but they stain the hands of any personusing the sticks. To avoid this difiiculty the sides of the stickscontaining the crystals are painted with paraflin or other suitablewaterproof material after they are removed from the mold. By localizingthe crystals in one side of each stick as illustrated in Fig. 9 it isnecessary to paint only the upper portion of each stick after it hasbeen deposited on the pallet 40. If the crystals were distributedthroughout the entire stick it would be necessary to paint all sides ofthe stick. This would involve painting one side of the stick, waitingfor it to dry, turning it over, and then painting the other side,thereby materially increasing the cost of production. 1

While one form of apparatus for carrying out this process has beendescribed in detail, it will be understood that I am not limited theretoand that other forms of apparatus may be used if desired withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in thefollowing claims.

I claim: I

1. Molding apparatus adapted m forming sticks of flame coloring materialcomprising" a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheet ofnon-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilientmaterial interposed between the base block and the sheet, saidfifilieblock having molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting uponsaid sheet ofn'onadhesive material, and means for so clamping the dieblock to the bed that the bottom surface of 'the die block is depressedinto the layer ofthle base and the molding cavities are sealed at oneend by the sheet of non-adhesive material.

r 2. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloringmaterial comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheetof non-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilientmaterial interposed between the base block and'the sheet, said die blockhaving molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon saidsheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block tothe bed that the bottom surface of the die block is depressed into thelayer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by thesheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a boxhaving pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slotstherein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate,said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein inregister with the cavities in the die plate.

3. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloringmaterial comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheetof non-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilientmaterial interposed between the base block and the sheet, said die blockhaving molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon saidsheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block tothe bed thatthe bottom surface of the die block is depressed into thelayer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by thesheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a boxhaving pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slotstherein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate,said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein inregister with the cavities in the die plate, said die block havingapertured tongues and said charger unit including set screws which enterthe apertures in the tongues to position the unit relative to the dieblock.

4. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloringmaterial comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheetof non-ahesive non-pourous material and a layer of depressible resilientmaterial interposed between the base block and the sheet, said die blockhaving molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon saidsheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block tothe bed that the bottom surface of the die block is depressed into thelayer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by thesheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a boxhaving pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slotstherein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate,said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein inregister with the cavities in the die plate, said die block havingapertured tongues and said charger unit including set screws which holdthe plate in contact with the box and which also enter the apertures inthe tongues to position the unit relative to the die block.

5. Apparatus for molding a composition which in liquid form has lowviscosity, comprising a mold open at top and bottom, a bed for saidmold, a layer of depressible resilient material over the bed, andbetween said mold and layer a flexible sheet which is non-pervious tosaid liquid and which does not stick tightly to the mold composition,whereby the open bottom of the mold may be sealed by sinking the moldinto said depressible resilient material and the intermediatenon-pervious non-adhesive sheet prevents the molded composition fromsticking to the resilient material.

6. Apparatus for molding a composition which in liquid form has lowviscosity, comprising a mold open at top and bottom, a bed for saidmold, a layer of depressible resilient material over the bed, andbetween said mold and layer a flexible sheet of glassine, whereby the'open bottom of the mold may be sealed by sinking the mold into saiddepressible resilient material and the intermediate non-perviousnon-adhesive glassine prevents the molded composition from sticking tothe resilient material.

JONATHAN P. B. FISKE.

